Portable saw-filing clamp



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INVENToR Bert Frazier. BY

Nov. 3, 1953 B. FRAzlER PORTABLE SAW-FILING CLAMP Filed Sept. 9, 1952 Patented Nov. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PORTABLE SAW-FILING CLAMP Bert Frazier, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application September 9, 1952, Serial No. 308,608

10 Claims.

My present invention relates to a portable stand or clamp, for greatly facilitating the task of sharpening all types of saws that need to be sharpened by filing.

Heretofore, the exacting job of saw-sharpening has been done with any one of several forms of available clamps, usually made of metal, usually shorter than the length of an ordinary handsaw, and always requiring to be fastened, in a xed position, against the side of a workbench, or wherever else a suitable rigid support could be found, having the best available relation to a good source of light, After one side of the saw had been sharpened, in one of these old clamps, the saw had to be removed and reversed, in order to sharpen the other side, because it was impossible to get around on the other side of the clamp, and the light would be no good, on the other side, even if one could get there (assuming that the light was good on the rst side x"f9O During the sharpening of either side of a handn saw, in one of these old clamps, the saw had to be removed or loosened several times, so that it could ybe slid along in the clam-p, because the usual clamp was not long enough to sharpen the' spect to the workmans elbow and forearm, so 52. that the file can be held at the proper angle and at the proper twist. `Suitable lighting is of the utmost importance, because it is very important to be able to see the teeth very clearly. Natural lighting (daylight) is much better than electric lighting, even to the point of waiting for a bright,

clear day before attempting to sharpen the saw, because electric lighting reflects on the saw. The light should come from the rear, over the Workmans left shoulder (if he is righthanded). If the light is not right when a saw is being sharpened, the most skillful workman will get entirely too much hook, or not enough hook, or the wrong bevel, or uneven heights of teeth.

My present invention relates to a portable sawling clamp or stand, which can be moved around, so that it can be set up in a place where good daylight comes over the workmans left shoulder; and when one side of the saw has been sharpened, the saw may be left in the clamp, and the clamp can be turned around, so that the workman can remain where he was, with the light behind him, while sharpening the other side, The clamp is preferably made of wood, rather than metal, so that it will be light enough 2 to be portable, and so that it can at the same time be made wide enough to hold practically the entire length of a handsaw, so that the entire saw can be sharpened in one clamping.

My portable saw-tiling clamp is equipped to properly hold all types of saws which need ling. It has removable clamps for holding a handsaw, and it has a vertically adjustable circular-saw vise or clamp, which is adjustable to accommodate different sizes of circular saws, and which can be lowered out of the way when a handsavv is being sharpened.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, as will be subsequently explained, my invention consists in the structures, apparatus, combinations, parts, and methods of design, adjustment and operation, hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein,

Figure l is an isometric perspective view of a portable saw-filing stand embodying my invention in an illustrative form, and showing the same with its parts disposed in the positions which they occupy when the stand is to be carried from one location to another,

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the stand, showing its use while sharpening a handsaw,

Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the use of the stand for sharpening a large circular saw,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the top of the circular-saw clamp, showing its adjustment for accommodating a small-diameter saw, and

Fig. 5 is a larger-scale vertical sectional view of the top of the circular-saw clamp, on the It section-plane V-V in Fig. 4.

My portable saw-ling stand comprises a flat horizontal base-piece in the form of a wooden board 6, having a four-footed wooden support 1. The stand also has two upright lateral stanchions B and 9, preferably also of wood, which are carried by the horizontal base-piece B and its four-footed support. 'Ihe top of each of the stanchions has a crosswise-extending V-shaped notch Il in-it, and it is at a height suitable for sharpening a handsaw such as is indicated at I2 in Fig. 2. A convenience-till or trough I3 is secured between the two stanchions 8 and 9, in a position below the notches Il. This till com prises wooden front and back side-pieces i4 and i5, and a wooden bottom piece IB. It is not only convenient as a receptacle for the workmans file and other tools (not shown) but it also serves as a necessary rigid brace for the stanchions 8 and 9.

The left-hand stanchion 8 is provided, about q a halfway up, with a bolt I'I, which serves as a means for removably carrying a pair of separate flat removable front and back handsawholding clamping-pieces I9 and I9, so that these handsaw clamping-pieces may be carried with the stand when it is being transported from one location to another, and so that there will be a place for these clamping-pieces, so that they will not be mislaid when they are not in use. As shown/in Fig;l 3, .these two handsaw'clampingpieces I8 -and 9 arewooden boards having a wedge-shaped thickness. The front face of the front clamping-piece I 8, and the rear facef the rear clamping-piece I9, arerprovided -l-With vertical grooves 2l for fitting in the V-shaped notches II. Thus, when a. handsa-w, Lsuche-as I2, is to be sharpened, asnshown in Fig. .2,.it.- is placed between the two clamping-pieces I8 and I9, which are then tightly pounded 'downinto the V-shaped notches, to tightly clamp the fhandsaw in .position i for ffiling.

My "portable rstand :is valso `provided -with 1.a '"flativertically adjustable 4.vertical .or vupstanding centrally 'disposed wooden board z or .piece lf2-.3, `which serves: as the supporting-part :of "la :clamp S for circular saws. This :central vvertical piece 123has-fa roundedtopfendltZd. Said verticalpiece '23 lis also V:provided *with one r'or more verticalv:adjustment fronteandebackeextending 1 holes E25, lwhich' may: beieither fround orr elongated. In :the illustrated -f example, there-tare a plurality' rof A:dis-

crete, vertically spaced, substantiallyfroun'dholes 'f2-5. ISomeforf-all'ciftheseholeslfz maybe .car- 'ried'by metal plates 226,1fset into said -Vertical 'f23`is disposed 'in a'vertica1ly extendinghole .27 in'fthe 'iiathorizontal baseapiece 6, "this hole Ibeing fof af size 'and -fshapefadapted 'Lto guide 'fthe f'verticalfpiece2 3 in" its' vertical adjustment.

The till L3, and lspecifically its'f 'front side-piece f' M, 'is 'provided with I-a forwardly-extending bolt f1'28fin'1afposition adaptedto-'extend through either cally adjustable -piece I"23. "'This bolti'28 'has a rWingnut 29 'forhldingfsaid'vertically adjustable tpiece 23 Vtightly -against the liront Sidepiece ililllo'f` the till l I3, -atfeither 1a" height suitable for sharpein'gfa circular' saw-'or '-al'ower height which brings =the top @24 f the vertically -'-ad vjustable piece y"23 out lo'f the way, when 'fa T hand- -saw is "beingsharpened, 'The lowered position of the central upright piece 23 is shown "in'Figs `land2. Theraised'or operative positiono'f '-said lcentral upright "piece F23 is illustrated in Fig. 3. The lower portion 'of 'said "central upright Vpiece *23 may `be provided 'with astoporshoulder, 4indicated "by vdotted lines 3l `in "Figs, 42 'an=d"3. 'This' stop -'3I "rests -on 'the horizontal "base-piece a-Iwhen the vertical piece v'23 isin its 'lowered, 4'out-of-the-way position.

A'I'hetop of thecentralgupright, verticallya'dfjustable, piece "23' cooperates' with a'separate cir- "cular-saw clamp-'piece `3 I which is shown in the form of a circular diskyalthough it could have other shapes, provided' that at 'least its top "end "'321is rounded, andpreferably alsoboth its top `land bottom ends 'are rounded. 'Ihis circular- `rsaw clamp-'piece 3| is provided with one or'more Y ra'dial -adjustment front and-back #extending 'rholes 434, which may be -either'round or elongated. "In 'the -illustrated eX-a'mple, there is #a .central, substantiallylroundholei34, and iallu- .'ral-ityiofother: discrete; aligned, vertically-f spaced, substantially round holes 34 on one sidexofwthe `zentral hole; :orrany otherfdispositionof?holes 34 .13.or a'small-diameter sa'w 42, aslshown in Figs.

4"and"'5,`orany other size ofcircular saw. Finally, the circular-saw clamping-bolt 39 extends through any one of the holes 34 in the circularsawclampfpiece 3|. It will be apparent that the proper holes may be selected, according to fthe *Isize fof the circular saw which is to be sharpened.

`vInthe use or Vloperation of my portable sawfsharpening stand or clamp, an important characteristic is its portability, which not only ena'blesit to .be ,carried toithegplacekwhereiasaw fishemg used,-b`utimoreimportantly still, thewsaw- .sharpening .stand may be vfplaced -where :the best daylight is to be found, andfwhere tlie-lightwill come over the workmans --left shoulder, sothat `he :canv see the sawwt-eeth i ver-y clearly. Furthermore, when one sideA of therfsawf-hasbeemsharpened, it: is not necessary'. to remove the' sawirom its clamp I 7and turn it sfr'ont-tback: in fzorder nto :sharpen its other`side,=withthe light still'coming over the Workmanfsleft shoulder. On the -1 contrary, fthe 4portability of "my vsawfsharpening standv orclamp` makes .f it possible: to :pielrA up tthe f'stand, While the saw fis @still f'clamped Vein place, and thef entire :stand :can fbe :turned #around .ina rnomentsv time,l when .the; second isidefofthei saw is to be sharpened.

When the stand 'is :being used, it fmust fr est 2wobble. "'.This requirement irules -out ta three- 'footed stand for ftripod, because isuch a stand To .this trend, some vsort Tof footeleveling means "is usually .'needed, :and a -fwedge-piece is '-'the simplest kind of foot-leveling means, `wliichican fieasily'be piacedunderitnelihighffoot. According fpieee' 50 when it is notvinusey'orr-While the stand isi being transported, TI providelal means `for vrelmovablycarryingwsad wedge=piece`somewhereon lthastand, for-'exampleunderneath the till II3.

'shown iriFig. 3.

-When Aa Vfhanblsaw I2 is beingsharpenedyas Ashown in Fig, the-central vertically-adjust- Iable piece 2'3ibein'g`lowereid'to itslowermost position tokeep outof the'way,='the'stand'is put in the place where the'best 'lightis available, it is wedgedso -asftofstand rmlyas shown in Fig.v 2, 'andthe handsaw I2 isolamped in place. Then, holdingthe base '1 with one foot, 'the workman proceedsV to'sharpenthe saw.

flf a circularrsawlisftobe sharpened, thehandsaw `clarr-iping'-pieces lI'B fand v-I9 '-arelplaced on `1 'fand '3, the-"central vertically-'adjustable piece 52f3lis 'raised toitsuppermostfadjusted vposition :assshown: in l:3, thefcircularsaw'l 1 or y42. is

inserted in place, and the workman is ready to sharpen the saw.

My portable stand may be made of any suitable material or materials, but its requirement of portability makes it desirable that the larger parts of the stand shall be made of wood, for lightness. When a light material such as wood is used, it becomes practicable to make the stand wide enough to sharpen the entire length of an ordinary handsaw at a single clamping, without causing the stand to be too heavy for portability. In other words, the lateral separation between the two stanchions 8 and 9, and also the lengths of the two handsaw clamping-pieces I8 and I9, are nearly as long as an ordinary handsaw. If the stanchions 8 and 9 are made of wood, they should be provided, immediately below the V-shaped notches Il, with front-and-back-extending bolts 55 or other strengthening-means, for preventing splitting of the wood when the handsaw clamping-pieces i8 and I9 are pounded into place in the V-shaped notches.

While I have described and illustrated my invention in a single illustrative form of embodiment, I wish it to be understood that various changes in style, size and material may be made, and various substitutions of equivalents, as Well as additions or omissions of parts, without departing from the essential principles of my invention, at least in its broadest aspects. I desire therefore, that the appended claims shall be accorded the broadest construction consistent with their language.

I claim as my invention:

1. A portable saw-filing stand, comprising a `flat horizontal base-piece, a four-footed support for said base-piece, two upright lateral stanchions rigidly carried by said horizontal basepiece and its four-footed support, the top of each of said stanchions having a crosswise-extending V-shaped notch in it and being at a height suitable for sharpening a handsaw, a conveniencetill secured between the two stanchions in a position below said notches, said till comprising front and back side-pieces and a bottom piece and also serving as a rigid brace for said stanchions, a pair of separate at removable front and back handsaw clamping-pieces adapted to be tightly pounded down into said V-shaped notches with a handsaw between them, a means for removi ably carrying said pair of handsaw clampingpieces on the stand when they are not extending across between said stanchions in their operative positions in said notches, a at vertically adjustable upstanding centrally disposed piece having a rounded top end and having one or more vertical-adjustment front-and-back-extending holes therein, a guiding-means for guiding the centrally disposed piece in its vertical adjustment, a bolt extending forwardly from the front side-piece of said till in a position adapted to extend through a loWermost vertical-adjustment hole or holes in said vertically adjustable piece and having a nut for holding said piece tightly against the front side-piece of said till at either a height suitable for sharpening a circular saw or a lower height which brings the top of the vertically adjustable piece out of the Way when a handsaw is being sharpened, a separate circular-saw clamp-piece having a rounded top end and having one or more radial-adjustment front-and-back-extending holes therein,

and a circular-saw clamping-bolt adapted to extend in any vertical adjustment through an uppermost vertical-adjustment hole or holes in said centrally disposed piece, through the central hole of a circular saw of any one of assorted sizes, and in any radial adjustment through a radial-adjustment hole or holes in the circularsaW clamp-piece, according to the size of circular saw which is to be sharpened.

2. The invention as defined in claim l, characterized by the flat horizontal base-piece having a vertical hole therein having a size and shape adapted to serve as said guiding-means, for guiding the lower end of the centrally disposed piece in its vertical adjustment,

3. A portable saw-tiling stand as dened in claim 1, in combination with a separate wedgepiece for steadying the four-footed support on an uneven oor, and a means for removably carrying said wedge-piece on the stand when it is not in use.

4. The invention as defined in claim l, characterized by the lateral separation between the stanchions, and also the lengths with the pair of handsaw clamping-pieces, being sufficient to permit the sharpening of the entire length of an ordinary handsaw at a single clamping.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1, characterized by the larger parts of the stand being made mostly of wood, and further characterized by each stanchion having a front-and-back-extending strengthening-means disposed immediately under the notch for preventing splitting.

6. The invention as defined in claim 1, characterized by the vertical-adjustment hole or holes in said upstanding centrally disposed piece being a plurality of discrete vertically spaced substantially round holes, the bolt on the till being adapted to extend through either one of two of said holes, and the circular-saw clampingbolt being a removable bolt which is adapted to extend through any one of a plurality of said holes.

'7. The invention as dened in claim 6, characterized by the radial-adjustment hole or holes of the circular-saw clamp-piece being a plurality of discrete spaced substantially round holes, and the removable circular-saw clampingbolt being adapted to extend through :any one of said radial-adjustment holes.

8. The invention as dei-ined in claim 1, characterized by the radial-adjustment hole or holes of the circular-saw clamp-piece being a plurality of discrete spaced substantially round holes, and the circular-saw clamping-bolt being a removable bolt which is adapted toV extend through any one of said radial-adjustment holes.

9. The invention as defined in claim 8, characterized by said separate circular-saw clamppiece having rounded top and bottom ends so that either end can be turned to the top, and having a central hole and a plurality of aligned vertically spaced holes on one side of its central hole.

10. The invention as dened in claim 8, characterized by said separate circular-saw clamppiece being a disk having a plurality of holes at different radii with respect to the center of the disk.

BERT FRAZIER.

No references cited. 

